£2m wedge puts RBS chief on top

ROYAL Bank of Scotland chief executive Fred Goodwin has become the highest-paid clearing bank boss, receiving more than £2m in salary and bonuses last year. Deputy chairman Sir George Mathewson got just under £2m.

They received bonuses of £814,000 and £759,000 respectively for masterminding the takeover of NatWest.

Goodwin's base salary was £582,000 and he was paid a performance bonus of £677,000. The £1.27m total was more than double his 1999 pay, although his role changed in 2000. Mathewson, who stood down as RBS chief executive last March, received a £579,000 salary and a £635,000 bonus.

Corporate banking head Iain Robertson collected pay and a performance bonus totalling almost £1.1m and a £773,000 special bonus. The head of Royal Bank's US arm, Larry Fish, who has historically been the best-paid member of the board, picked up £1.05m.